Christmas Wreath

Ever since Adam and I bought our house I have decorated for Christmas using blue decorations. Blue is our “color”! This year I decided I wanted to decorate in red and green. Adam bought me this cute stocking hangers that are green and red. I was going to make us stockings but I ran out of time so I decided I’ll wait till next year or maybe this summer. But I did make us a new wreath that is red and green.

I used a swimming noodle to make the foam wreath. Then I used some red yarn to wrap the wreath and a few red and green and silver ornaments that I have had for years. The only thing I had to buy was the “A”. I painted it lime green and hot glued it on. Perfect!! And it only cost me $2 since I had everything but the “A”.

Santa Said Elfy Can’t Come Back

Tomorrow morning may be a sad day at our house but hopefully it will remedy the problem. Elfy has been a HUGE distraction and while he is intended to be fun and we so want him to be fun for the children they must remember one thing..school comes before anything and they must not let Elfy distract them.

The past few mornings they have had issues getting ready because of Elfy. So tonight Elfy is staying at the North Pole, but he left them a note asking them to please do what they are supposed to in the mornings so he can come back. Hopefully this will work. If not maybe Elfy can do something each day while they are at school.

Elfy in the Candy

Last night Elfy made quiet the mess. He got the box with all the candy in it out and dumped it out all over the counter. Then he found him a seat on top of the jars of baby food and ate him a piece of candy.

Brush & Floss for Healthy Teeth

Thats the message Elfy left the kids tonight. Elfy attempted to brush his teeth with the kids’ tooth brushes, use their cups to rinse and floss but he only made a big mess all over the counter and their tooth brushes.

Welcome Back Elfy

Tonight Elfy will make his grand return! Taylor came home early from her Thanksgiving visit due to being sick and she has asked me about him everyday. I know she is ready to see what all he is going to do this year. I have lots of great plans and I can’t wait to see the kids faces each morning. Alyssa and Noah have not asked about him yet, I wonder if they have forgotten? I don’t think so. They have talked about their elves but they just haven’t mentioned Elfy.

At the end of last year, Elfy brought each of them an elf that they could hold and was their own. So with his return Elfy brought Bradley an elf that he can hold.

Also with Elfy’s appearance last year he brought each of the kids a surprise, an ornament. This year he brought each of them two Christmas books.

Felt Christmas Tree

During the spring or summer months I found this idea on pinterest and knew I had to make one for Bradley.  I remembered when Alyssa and Noah were little how they were always so interested in the Christmas tree and redecorating it.  This a way he can decorate and redecorate his own tree over and over again.

I bought more felt than I need for one so I have an extra one I am going to sell for $15.  Colors will vary from the picture shown.  If I have a lot of interest I will make more.  I attached it to the wall with thumb tacks and the presents and ornaments stick to it because felt sticks to felt.

Knifty Knitting

Earlier this week I taught the children how to use the knifty knitter. It took them a little bit to catch on but they all got it.

Alyssa and Noah are still working on theirs but Taylor is done and I am so proud of her.

Advent Calendar

My children love countdowns so I have already gotten the Christmas countdown ready.  I decided for Christmas I would use scripture for each day.  I found the versus online already in order and used them.  I just added which day it was before each versus so then if they don’t get immediately put back in the drawers I can put them back in there to use again next year.

If you would like to use the same versus they are:

Day 1:  2 Corinthians 9:15 “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”

 

Day 2:  Proverbs 3:6 “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

 

Day 3:  Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”

 

Day 4:  Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.”

 

Day 5:  John 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

 

Day 6:  Isaiah 9:6 “The government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

 

Day 7:  Isaiah 11:2 “And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.”

 

Day 8:  Isaiah 42:10 “Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth.”

 

Day 9:  Isaiah 9:7 “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end.”

 

Day 10:  Isaiah 42:1 “Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him.”

 

Day 11:  Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

 

Day 12:  Micah 5:2 “But thou, Bethlehem, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel.”

 

Day 13:  John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

 

Day 14:  John 1:15 “John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.”

 

Day 15:  Psalm 98: 4-6 “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm. With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.”

 

Day 16:  Psalm 98:8-9 “Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together before the LORD; for he cometh to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.”

 

Day 17:  Luke 2:4-7 “And Joseph also went up from Galilee unto Bethlehem to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, andlaid him in a manger.”

 

Day 18:  Luke 2:8-10 “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them. And the angel said unto them, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”

 

Day 19:  Luke 2:11-12 “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”

 

Day 20:  Luke 2:13-14 “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

 

Day 21:  Luke 2:20 “And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.”

 

Day 22:  Luke 2:30-32 “For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.”

 

Day 23:  Luke 2:40 “And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.”

 

Day 24:  Matthew 2:1 “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. “

 

Day 25:  Matthew 2:9-1 “And, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him.”

Thankful Children

Usually in the fall my children decorate a box, we put three can goods a week in it and then we donate it in November right before Thanksgiving. But this year has gone by so fast that I forgot to have them decorate a box in September. But I still want them to think about being thankful in November so this year we started something new. I put together “Alyssa is Thankful for…”, “Noah is Thankful for…”, and “Taylor is Thankful for…”, books. Each day the kids are writing what they are thankful for in them. I started to have it so they all wrote on the same thing but I didn’t want anyone to copy what someone else wrote so I made three and put enough lines and years on it so they will write in the same books each November through 2015. Then we can look back each year at what they said the year before and see how their hand writing changes over the years.

Last night was so cute to see what they were thankful for. I showed them my picture frame that I leave notes to Adam on and I had wrote what I was thankful for him for yesterday on it and that was calling Aenta when they would pay for Bradley’s medicine yesterday. Alyssa said she was thankful for Adam for making Aetna pay money. Noah said he was thankful for his house. Taylor said she is thankful for the food and stuff we give her. Gotta love those kids.